Semiconductor devices, such as LSI (large scale integrated circuit), are manufactured by performing a plurality of processes, such as etching or CVD (chemical vapor deposition), sputtering, and the like, with respect to a silicon substrate (wafer) as a substrate to be processed. Examples of these processes, such as etching or CVD, sputtering, and the like, may include a process using plasma as an energy supply source, is that is, plasma etching or plasma CVD, plasma sputtering, and the like.
Here, a plasma processing apparatus employing a microwave as a plasma generation source is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-100931 (Patent Document 1). According to the Patent Document 1, a tapered protrusion or recess portion is formed on the bottom surface of a top plate (dielectric plate) provided in the plasma processing apparatus. An optimal resonance region of electric field is formed at the tapered protrusion or recess portion of the bottom surface of the top plate by means of a microwave generated by a microwave generator, and thus stable plasma is generated in a chamber (processing container), whereby the aforementioned etching process or the like is performed.
(Patent Document 1) Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-100931